Breakeven
by berryfuls
Summary: A sort of "what if" oneshot. What if John didn't die? What if he got married to Olivia? What if Peter cared?


**I'm very proud of this! It was inspired by The Scripts' Breakeven and is pretty much completely a "what if this happened?" oneshot. This is the main question I expect people to ask: "If john scott didn't die wouldn't they not need Peter?" Well, in the pilot, Peter joins the gang before John dies. And after assembling this little team, she probably would have gone into the Fringe division anyway.**

**Plus, Charlie doesn't die. -happy dance- Enjoy.**

* * *

'_What am I going to do when the best part of me was always you?_

_And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up that you're okay?_

_I'm falling to pieces, yeah…'_

-Breakeven by The Script.

* * *

He whispered into the darkness quietly. His voice was raspy with sleep, but no one was there to hear. "Today's the day."

And he was right. Today was the day. The day everything changed. The day he moved on with the rest of his life. The day that he went to the wedding, smiled for the bride and groom, and pretended that it wasn't killing him inside.

He ran his fingers through his messy dark hair. He stared up at the ceiling and prayed that he wouldn't have to see how this was going to end. His blue-green eyes didn't even try to hold back the girlish tears, because he knew that today, his façade was going to have to be as strong as ever. And the only way he could do that was if he cried now.

After sitting in bed, as the sun slowly rose, he sat up, wiping away the remaining tears, and went to take a shower.

He got dressed in something simple for now, and went out to the kitchen for some breakfast. The door opened –for the second time that morning- and Walter Bishop walked into the kitchen, grinning. "Son! Are you ready for today!?"

Peter just nodded, munching at his toaster pancakes and sipping some warm coffee. "When's the wedding?" he asked, wincing at the rough sound of his voice.

Walter gave him a bewildered stare. "P-Peter… Olivia's told you for weeks now! The ceremony is at eleven so the reception can start at around noon! Now come on, you need to go get dressed, you only have two hours. I want to be at the church early!"

An hour and a half later, Peter and Walter were dressed and ready to go. Peter's heart was protesting the wedding already. It was irrational from heartbreak. "Shut up," he growled at it while Walter went to the bathroom before they left.

The doorbell rang. He glanced at his watch and opened the door. He was met with a stunningly beautiful Astrid Farnsworth. Her hair was down and straight and she was wearing a simple purple bridesmaid gown. "Hey Peter!" she chirped, twirling into the living room. "I'm so excited! Olivia is so beautiful – you're going to be amazed. I mean, I don't really like John, but if she's happy, then great!" she chattered. "Anyway, I'm here because I don't want to arrive at one of the most beautiful weddings ever in a _cab_. So I'm just going to hitchhike with you and Walter."

Just then, Walter came out of the bathroom and caught sight of Astrid. "Agent Farnsworth! Isn't this going to be the best day ever!?" They walked out the door linked arm in arm, rambling about how happy they were. Peter just sighed, got in the driver's seat, and tried to tune them out. _Why am I going? _he asked himself. _Why am I going to torture myself like this?_

He parked the car in the almost half-full parking lot. Astrid and Walter found Rachel, and the three of them hurried inside cheerfully. Rachel looked very pretty, her silky gold hair curled down her back and her large eyes were framed with long black lashes.

"Stop settling. You know that you just want to make Livia jealous. But it didn't work Einstein," he growled at himself under his breath as he followed them. He found a seat in the back on the bride's side, where he could slip out if he couldn't make it through the ceremony. John waved absentmindedly to him, but Peter didn't notice.

Walter was sitting way down in front, delighted with talking to Broyles about some case they had just solved. There weren't many people there, which was surprising seeing all the cars in the parking lot. Most of them must have been John's family. There were a lot on his side.

Movement beside him snapped him out of his thoughts. Charlie was sitting down, watching Peter with careful eyes. "I'm surprised you're here," Charlie said slowly.

Peter just snorted. "I'm kind of expected to be here. Olivia would send all the little bugs in the world after me if I didn't show."

"No, she would probably be relieved."

"Why's that?" Peter turned gave Charlie a confused look, trying to wade through those words.

"She likes you. She had history with John, but you were the one you saved her time after time. Not him. I thought you knew that." He hesitated before saying, "Maybe that's why she's so late."

That's when Astrid and Rachel –the only bridesmaids- and John's groomsmen strolled down the aisle and took their places. The ring-boy and Ella the cutest flower girl ever came down, and then the few people in the church stood.

Astrid was wrong. Olivia wasn't amazing. She was breathtaking. Her cheeks were rosey pink and her dress was simple and form-fitting. It hugged her small frame and magnified her slight curves. Her green eyes looked like two perfect emerald gems pressed perfectly into her porcelain skin. Her eyelids and eyelashes were made up with just the right amount of makeup. And in that moment, Peter knew he wouldn't make it. It was only Charlie nonchalantly barring his way that kept him standing woodenly in place. Her eyes were sweeping the rows, but whatever she was looking for, she didn't find.

As she and John stood up in front of the priest, she glanced over and met Peter's eyes. He smiled softly, not trying to cover up the heartbreak in his eyes. She looked back at John and her face showed only the happy mask. She felt nothing for him and everything for Peter. Charlie's words had kept him here and now he had proof.

"John Scott, do you take Olivia to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do."

John was happy, though. He was ecstatic. He finally had the one girl who meant everything to him. But she feels nothing for him.

"Olivia Dunham, do you take John to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

She hesitated. Her eyes flashed back to Peter's face, pain and indecision in them. Peter nodded, encouraging her to say that she did. To go ahead and be with someone who loves her, who knows who he's in love with.

She looked back to the priest and John, determination on her face. _That's my girl,_ he thought, a crooked smile on his face. Charlie was just trying to hide his grin.

"I… don't."

The whole church gasped. John literally fell backwards and fainted, but Rachel, Astrid, Broyles, and Charlie all looked giddy with happiness.

Peter didn't understand. Why was she giving John up like that?

His question was answered when the church quieted again. "I'm not the helpless little FBI agent that John thinks I am. I need someone who can let me make my own mistakes, but still make sure that I don't get into too much trouble. Who will protect me only when I know I need protection. Someone who is sitting in this very room." Everyone started looking around, and Peter slouched down in his seat. He was _not_ there.

"Peter. Peter?" Charlie hauled Peter to his feet and in that second, he knew that she knew that he was in love with her. She started walking up the aisle and Charlie shoved him out to her.

They met in a stumbled, rushed, awkward hug that felt like the world. The warmth of her arms around his waist, the absolutely delicious feel of his hands resting on her back. "You shouldn't have done that," Peter mumbled into her hair, not letting her go.

"I never would have been happy with John. I never would have known just how perfect you are."

"I'm nowhere near perfect."

"You are to me."


End file.
